You like it or not, at the end of the sixth phase of polling for general election 2014, the entire polity especially in UP and Bihar is highly polarized. The Sahi Imams and Amit Shahs (Giriraj Singhs and many more) now take over the election campaign just to provoke sentiments, spread hatred and polarise people on religious lines so as to reap vested selfish interest.

It all started from Rashid Masood’s hatred video
clip, followed by irresponsible comments from Beni Prasad Verma,
Mulayam Singh Yadav, some BJP, SP and Congress leaders. It reached to
such an extreme that even Azam Khan, the senior UP minister didn’t
spare Indian Army and attempted to divide it on religious line of
Hindu-Muslim.

In
Focus

The pattern was always there. The efforts to divide
the society on the basis of caste are deep-rooted in our polity.
Everybody in public says that there shouldn’t be any caste based
divisions in our society, but in practice everybody prominently
re-establishes the caste base for vested interest. Political parties'
main intention is to divide people. More the division, more would be
the chance for opportunistic politicians to win election and control
the polity.

Even during the days when
Lalu appeared to be invincible in Bihar
some social experts named his opportunistic caste equation mixed with
religious polarization as unique social engineering. I never
understood who benefited from such unique social engineering.

But should we always blame the politicians? Why are
we polarized on the basis of caste, religion and creed? Why can’t
we see through the selfish design of the politicians in provoking us?
Why do we forget that we are the master of the democracy and our
representatives shouldn’t fool us?

The answer lies within us. An honest introspection
of self would reflect that we are opportunists as well. We are very
vocal on principles but great offenders while practicing. We just get
carried away with the provocations and never ever realize the point
behind the provocation.

Why shouldn’t we be honest to our democracy? Why
can’t we ask our representatives to stop all such dirty tricks? Why
are we ready to fight at slightest provocation? Why we are biased on
caste, creed or community during voting? Did we ever attempt to be a
sincere, accountable and dutiful citizen? If we can’t make
ourselves rightful owners of democracy, how can we expect our
representatives to be honest and committed to democracy?

It’s easy to say that after six-decades of
democracy, nothing significant has been achieved. But it’s
important to ask ourselves also why we aren’t mature as democratic
citizens even after six-decades of independency? As argumentative
Indians we always ask questions. Have we ever asked right questions
to self?

Try this. Ask yourselves, why I should be provoked
by Masood, Imam or Amit Shah, who just want to fool me. Why should I
choose a wrong man for the country only because he is from my
community/caste or circle? Why should I fail to fulfill my
fundamental duty to the Constitution before asking fundamental right
from the nation? Why should I blame somebody without checking whether
I too can be blamed for the downgrading of our democracy?

The point is very clear. Once we start asking such
questions to self, we would get immediate answers and our attitude
towards democracy, nation and system would change positively. If we
change positively, the polity and society has to change accordingly.

Should we start asking questions right at this hour
or, should we still leave it for the future generations, thinking
they would do so?

Editorial NOTE: This article is categorized under
Opinion Section. The views expressed in this article are solely
those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of
merinews.com. In case you have a opposing view, please click
here to share the same in the comments section.